Ayla's Big Spring Update!

A condensed version of spring '11

Naps with favorite toys...

New Cousin Baby Stella is born!!

It rains.. A LOT and Ayla must find things to do indoors...

Saluki Pow Wow!

Ayla makes friends with a random Italian woman.

And wins $5 during the "Spot Dance" !

A hike through the Arboretum with family- Happy Birthday Uncle Alex!

Mini Stagecoach ride at the Waterloo Fiber Festival!

Playing with "Peeps" at Easter!

Breaking bread with the cast of SIU's "Macbeth"

Making and eating wholesome snacks.

Makandafest '11

Playing at "castle park"

Waiting for the water to go down...

Ayla's Newest 'Do

Ayla's obsession with cutting her own hair continues... This time, she shimmied up my desk, grabbed the sharpest pair of scissors I own, got into my bed and made a horizontal chop at her earlobe, effectively cutting half of her hair off. I went through a moment of denial, brushing it and trying to put it into some kind of ponytail, hoping we could mask it long enough to "grow it out" but, denial soon turned into a sad acceptance and we went to the mall to get a proper cut.

It's not the best shape, but it reminds me of my sister's awesome Dorothy Hamill haircut from the '70s.
And Ayla is irresistibly cute no matter what her hair looks like.

Snowman!

Winter Activities

Ahh lazy winter days! Ayla's winter has been quiet and relaxing so far.

Ayla's Christmas 2010

Wow, Ayla had a great Kissmuth!!! I don't have photos of Christmas morning here at the house! Douh! I guess I was too distracted by the the shiny wrapping paper to grab the camera. A white Christmas too- and I also didn't get pictures of that. Great. Now no one will believe us, Ayla!

How to decorate a Christmas Tree

Step 1: After deciding not to spend the $45 for a real tree this year- drive to MeMaw's a.k.a. the place where Santa stores his extra Christmas decorations and procure pre-lit tree (our first fake tree)

Step 2: Decide that pre-lit wasn't enough lights, add 2 strands of colored twinkling lights.
Step 3: Allow the kids to decorate using ornaments from the non-breakable box.





Wallaaaaaa!

p.s. last picture taken by Gabe

Thanksgiving '10

Ayla had a great Thanksgiving! She got to wear the dress that she made Paw buy for her and she met her sister Shallon!